1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to wire puzzles, and more particularly pertains to a new and improved "captured heart" wire-form puzzle that includes the use of at least one captured ring to increase the complexity of the puzzle solution.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Wire-form puzzles heretofor devised and utilized for the purpose of entertainment are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations. A myriad of various designs are encompassed by the crowded prior art and have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements. In this connection, the wire-form puzzle according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus that is primarily developed for the purpose of increasing the complexity of conventional and commercially available wire-form puzzles without requiring the necessity of designing substantially different forms.
More particularly, wire-form puzzles are well known in the prior art, and "captured heart" wire-form puzzles have been the subject matter of prior art literature and patents. For example, U.S. Design Pat. No. 246,922, which issued to R. Heign on Jan. 10, 1978, shows the basic configuration of a captured heart wire-form puzzle wherein the heart is of a rectilinear design. Similarly, U.S. Design Pat. No. 258,601, which issued to J. Smallwood, Jr. on Mar. 17, 1981, discloses the same captured heart wire-form puzzle design with the only change consisting of forming the captured member more in the shape of a true heart design.
The solutions to these types of puzzles are also well known and described in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,726,952, which issued to F. Gonzales on Sept. 3, 1929, probably represents the earliest captured heart wire-form puzzle design with a full description of the manner of solving this puzzle being provided. The Gonzales puzzle includes four interlocked U-shaped members about which a captured heart member must be manipulated before its release can be obtained.
A simpler design of the Gonzales wire-form puzzle is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,524,972 which issued to C. Wilmarth on June 25, 1985. The Wilmarth puzzles basically describes the variation of the puzzles illustrated in the above-referenced design patents and additionally, provides a detailed solution to the removal of the heart-shaped captured member from the interlocked U-shaped elements. The Wilmarth puzzle is illustrative of the crowded state of the prior art with respect to captured heart wire-form puzzles and is representative of the fact that minor improvements in this crowded prior art can constitute patentable achievement. Inasmuch as the Wilmarth wire form puzzle includes the basic components of the present invention, the disclosure thereof is incorporated by reference into the present invention.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that the crowded state of the prior art suggests that there exists a continuing need for improvements to wire-form puzzles which would increase their complexity and entertainment value. In this respect, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.